IBRARYOFCOiNGRESS.I 



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rXITFD STATES OP AMERICA 



THE 



SOLDIER'S OFFERING. 



By WILLIAM H. CLARK 



9 



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,j.-^ COPYRIGHT "m 
1 1875 ^) 



'.'.ffV'C'^'O v' 



BOSTON: 
1875. 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, 

By WILLIAM H. CLARK, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washingto 



SOUTH framingham; 

PRESS OF THE J. C. CLARK PRINTING COMPANY, 



To J. M. LEONARD, Esq., 

OF SOMERSET, 

IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF 

MANY EXPRESSIONS OF KINDNESS IN PAST YEARS, 

THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS DEDICATED 

BY THE AUTHOR. 



NOTE. 



The writer of these desultory sketches and poems, 
realizing, in part at least, the trying ordeal through 
which they must pass, if put forth as possessing literary 
merit and challenging criticism, would remind the 
reader that they are the production of one who received 
only the ordinary common-school education : and who, 
as having served and suffered in the late struggle for 
the preservation of our glorious Union, asks for a 
considerate hearing, and deprecates a too severe judg- 
ment upon his writings as literary work. 



PART I. 
/_ 

REMINISCENCES 



THIRTY-F( 



FOURTH REGIMENT 



MASS. VOL. INF. 



I 



CONTENTS. 



\ 



CHAPTER I. 
The Farewell, ii 

CHAPTER II. 
Fun in Camp, 14 

CHAPTER III. 
Harper's Ferry, 18 

CHAPTER IV. 
The Skirmish, 25 

CHAPTER V. 
Battle of Newmarket, .... 29 

CHAPTER VI. 
Incidents, 34 

CHAPTER VII. 

In Memoriam, 41 

1* 



^N# 



CHAPTER I. 



THE FAREWELL. 



^I^T is the afternoon of a summer day, 
llli with but little breeze more than enou2:h 
%^1 to gently sway the folds of a new and 
handsome national flag, which is in 
full view of the multitude who encompass it. 
We have taken the reader, in thought, to the 
spacious and beautiful common in Worces- 
ter, on the 15th of August, 1862. 

A few words concerning this great gather- 
ing; the close attention of all being drawn 
to the speaker's stand in its centre. Citizens 
of all classes are here, gazing and listening, 



12 REMINISCENCES. 

representing the population of the city and 
suburbs. Its inner circles are clothed in the 
uniform of their country's service, and stand 
in military order. To them, as a regiment, 
through their commander, who is conspicuous 
on the stand by his uncovered head and noble 
bearing, the flag is being presented : a touch- 
ing farewell act of the ladies of Worcester. 

It is delivered with fitting words, and now 
not only the soldier, but the orator speaks. 
Never, while memory lasts, will the picture 
be erased from the mind of one, at least ; 
the central figure, the devoted Wells : so 
soon, comparatively, to be the lamented. 

The throng breaks, and the regiment 
gradually prepares to leave the city for fields 
of duty, not to shrink from fields of danger. 
Hark ! as they slowly recede from sight, and 
the clangor of martial music is hushed, can 
you not almost distinguish, stealing through 
yonder casement where a lonely heart is 
thinking of the absent ones, the plaintive 
words ; 



REMINISCENCES. 1 3 

" Thinking no less of them, 

But loving our country the more ; 
We've sent them forth to fight for the flag, 

That our fathers before them bore. 



Brave boys are they, 

Gone at their country's call ; 
And yet, and yet, we cannot forget 

That many brave boys must fall." 



14 REMINISCENCES. 



CHAPTER 11. 



FUN IN CAMP. 



Ip^SlEARY and monotonous indeed 




.-^M!? 



would be many of the days spent in 
Y camp by the soldier, did not some- 
thing crop out of an amusing nature, 
either in the proper members of the camp or 
in some of its motley group of followers. 

In the Thirty-Fourth Regiment, one such 
safety-valve was found in a stout, good- 
natured darkey, who seemed to be the " right 
hand man " of our regimental sutler. 

On one occasion, the " even tenor of his 
way " was rudely broken in upon, to the great 



REMINISCENCES. ' 1 5 

amusement of the large number who hap- 
pened to be in view of that part of the camp 
at the time. It seems that a private soldier 
of mischievous propensities had been, for 
some time, teasing our colored friend by 
thrusting a burning twig from the camp fire 
into his face ; yet, during the ordeal, he had 
kept his patience, and only tried to get rid of 
his tormentor by entreaties. Suddenly he 
turns upon him, forbearance having ceased 
to be a virtue in the case, and the two fall 
heavily to the ground ; Oscar having decid- 
edly the advantage of his enemy, which he as 
decidedly keeps. The roar of laughter which 
followed this unexpected discomfiture was 
probably more pleasant to the ears of Oscar 
than to those of his antagonist. 

Another little incident in which this sable 
philosopher was concerned related to the 
legitimate business of the sutler's tent, and 
the story was often rehearsed in company E, 
and to the amusement of many, by Otis 
Hunter, who afterwards, while in the per- 



1 6 REMINISCENCES. 

formance of duty as picket'guard at the Shen- 
andoah, near Harper's Ferry, fell through an 
opening in the bridge in an unguarded 
moment, as was conjectured, and perished by 
drowning. It would seem that at a time when 
an unusually large company was gathered in 
front of the sutler's tent, one of the " boys," 
whose appetite was more capacious than his 
purse, and stronger than his sense of honesty, 
had taken advantage of the crowd to secure a 
free lunch. Oscar's version of the affair, as 
related by poor Hunter, was something like 
this : " Well, yer see de feller he comes up 
mongst de crowd, an' says he, I wants a 
fried pie. Sol takes de fried pie an' hands 
it to him, an' looks for de money ; but some- 
how de feller gits shook up in de crowd, an* 
I hav'nt seen him, nor de money, nor de 
fried pie since." This was given with cap- 
ital powers of imitation, and never failed to 
" bring down the house." 

There is something which irresistibly ap- 
peals, in many phases of the African character, 



REMINISCENCES. 1 7 

to our American sense of humor. At the 
same time, we discover running through it a 
vein of sentiment which, blending with the 
other, dignifies the effect. 

" 'Way down upon de Swanee Riber, 

Far, far away j 
Dere's where my heart am turning eber, 

Dere's where de old folks stay. 

When I was in de fields a hoeing, 

Near set ob sun ; 
So glad to hear de horn a blowing. 

Telling dat de work was done. 

O, den de darkies frolic sweetly. 

Banjo in tune j 
Dinah and Phillis dressed so neatly. 

Dance by de big round moon." 



REMINISCENCES. 



CHAPTER III. 



^^[^iOR some weeks, the Thirty-Fourth had 



wSSlili remained in Washington, D. C, fur- 



^(iXf nishing daily heavy details of neatly 
equipped men for guard duty ;• princi- 
pally to be employed in guarding the Carroll 
and Old Capitol prisons. During this time, 
the general soldierly deportment of the rank 
and file, together with the fine appearance of 
the regiment on dress parade, attracted 
much attention and called forth many com- 
plimentary expressions from the residents of 
Washington. 



REMINISCENCES. 1 9 

But " marching orders " do not stop to take 
counsel of their subjects, and on a well- 
remembered evening in July, 1863, they 
turned our quiet barracks into a scene of 
bustle and confusion. A ride of a few hours, 
over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 
brought us into the immediate vicinity of 
Harper's Ferry. 

The activity which prevailed throughout 
our force, on the morning of July 14th, made 
it evident to all that a movement across the 
Potomac was intended. All needful prepa- 
rations having been made, a lively cannonade 
was opened from the heights above, under 
cover of which our force embarked in pontoon 
boats that were near at hand, and crossing, 
passed through the deserted streets up to the 
higher ground beyond ; dislodging a small 
body of the enemy which had been holding 
possession. As the afternoon advanced, a 
considerable force of cavalry passed through 
the place, file following file, in a seemingly 
endless succession, till the eye was wearied 



20 REMINISCENCES. 

with attempting to take in the Hving current. 
Our occupation of Harper's Ferry, begun 
under these circumstances, was destined to 
continue for many months, with the exception 
of an occasional brief visit to Martinsburg 
towards the close of winter. 

Perhaps the most notable incident of our 
service during these months was a trip to 
Harrisonburg, about one hundred miles into 
Virginian territory, over that noble produc- 
tion of the road-maker's art, the " Shenandoah 
Valley turnpike." This splendid avenue of 
travel deserves more than a passing notice. 
Its exceedingly hard and smooth surface, 
composed of finely broken stone, the graded 
and uniform elevation from either side to the 
centre, and the long stretch of view in a per- 
fectly straight line, such as may sometimes 
be obtained on our best surveyed railroad 
lines ; all these combined to call out the 
admiring comments of those who travelled 
upon it. 

This demonstration, which was success- 



REMINISCENCES. 21 

fully and safely accomplished, was doubtless 
intended as a diversion in favor of the raid 
at that time being executed by Gen. Averill, 
with his much larger force. 

The night scene at Harrisonburg, on the 
occasion of commencing our retreat from the 
hazardous position in which this compara- 
tively small force was placed, having the 
advantage of novelty in our experience, was 
one lono: to be remembered. As soon as 
the darkness of night made it practicable, 
preparations for a quiet departure were com- 
menced — large fires being lighted and well 
supplied with fuel, as though our men were 
to pass the night comfortably and without 
any demonstration. At the word of com- 
mand, silently and swiftly the entire force 
withdrew from camp and moved in the direc- 
tion of Harper's Ferry. Steadily we pressed 
on during the entire night, only pausing for 
a short halt and rest upon the snow-covered 
ground, in the later hours of the night, and 
when morning dawned were well on our way 



22 REMINISCENCES. 

towards the Potomac. Although we were 
closely followed by a brigade of the enemy, 
in our rapid and forced march homewards, 
yet, by the intervention of favorable events, 
the friendly shadow of the Maryland heights 
was reached with no loss from our hazardous 
attempt at " bearding the lion in his den," as 
our adventure was described by the Rich- 
mond Examiner. 

Our long stay in this town gave many 
opportunities for examining its objects of 
interest, including the engine house, worthy 
of note as the fortress occupied by John 
Brown while he held possession, during the 
brief campaign destined to end so disastrously 
for those engaged in it. The ruins of 
armory and other buildings made it very 
evident that an immense amount of property 
had been destroyed in the two years in which 
the spirit of war had held carnival there. 

The climate, through the winter months 
we spent in this place, seemed to suggest 
some New England locality rather than a 



REMINISCENCES. 23 

part of the " sunny south." Snow storms, 
and bleak, cold winds, find as congenial a 
home around those rocky heights as Massa- 
chusetts could offer them ; at least, such was 
the impression made upon the mind of the 
writer. The sublimity and grandeur of 
Nature's works here well repay any effort 
required to reach an eligible point of view ; 
but it requires no effort to enable the mind 
nurtured "beneath New England's sky" to 
dwell again, in thought, among its native 
hills. 



" Once more, O Mountains of the North, unveil 
Your brows, and lay your cloudy mantles by ! 

And once more, ere the eyes that seek ye fail, 
Uplift against the blue walls of the sky 

Your mighty shapes, and let the sunshine weave 
Its golden net-work in your belting woods, 
Smile down in rainbows from your falling floods 

And on your kingly brows at morn and eve 

Set crowns of fire ! So shall my soul receive 
Haply the secret of your calm and strength, 

Your unforgotten beauty interfuse ' 



24 REMINISCENCES. 

My common life, your glorious shapes and hues 
And sun-dropped splendors at my bidding come, 

Loom vast through dreams, and stretch in billowy 
length 
From the sea-level of my lowland home ! " 

Whittier. 



REMINISCENCES. 25 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE SKIRMISH. 




HE morning of Sunday, October 13, 
^ 1863, was a disastrous one for the 



^^^m Ninth Maryland regiment, who were 
only a few miles distant from our 
encampment at Harper's Ferry. As the 
event proved, the enemy, in considerable 
force, under Gen. Imboden, had made an 
early and vigorous attack on that regiment 
at Charlestown, and captured them bodily, 
in number about three hundred. Every 
available man of the Thirty-Fourth was 
promptly called out, and preceded by a 



26 REMINISCENCES. 

battery which was stationed near by, the 
regiment started in hot pursuit. Often 
had the wish been expressed that we might 
see some actual fighting, and at last the wish 
was to be gratified. 

A running fight commenced soon after 
reaching Charlestown, the battery, which 
was still in advance, having engaged the 
enemy just beyond that place. The regi- 
ment press hurriedly on, and a few miles of 
rapid marching bring them into close prox- 
imity to the foe, as the shells falling within a 
short distance from their ranks fully prove. 
Each company has been assigned the best 
position allowed by the character of the 
ground, which is somewhat uneven and 
obstructed by fences. A lively discharge of 
musketry is kept up from both sides for a 
time, but finally ceases. At about this period 
in the fight, a small body of mounted infantry 
from the enemy's force charge toward us till 
but a short space intervenes, and then wheel- 
ing easily, soon disappear in the distance. 



REMINISCENCES. 27 

We afterwards learn that the Springfield 
muskets of one of our wing companies told 
with effect on their ranks. The firing has 
now ceased, and the regiment is ordered to 
cross the open ground which separates our 
position from that of the enemy. This is 
safely accomplished, and it is found that they 
have again retreated. 

Our commanding officer now considers 
that the pursuit has been pushed far enough, 
and the order is given to return to Harper's 
Ferry. Marching and resting alternately, 
the regiment reach their quarters at a late 
hour, feeling well satisfied with this first 
experience of actual fighting. Two of the 
color corporals, Clark of company K and 
Gage of company E, have laid down their 
lives ; but they died gloriously, and what 
matters the form in which death comes, if it 
finds one in the path of duty, 

" Come to the bridal chamber, Death ; 
Come to the mother, when she feels 
For the first time her first-born's breath : 



28 REMINISCENCES. 

Come when the blessed seals 
Which close the pestilence are broke, 
And crowded cities wail its stroke ; 
Come in Consumption's ghastly form ; 
The earthquake shock, the ocean storm ; 
Come when the heart beats high and warm, 

With banquet song, and dance, and wine 
And thou art terrible : the tear, 
The groan, the knell, the pall, the bier, 
And all we know, or dream, or fear 

Of agony, are thine. 
But to the warrior, when his sword 

Has won the battle for the free, 
Thy voice sounds like a prophet's word, 
And in its hollow tones are heard 

The thanks of millions yet to be." 



Halleck. 



REMINISCENCES. 29 



CHAPTER V. 

BATTLE OF NEWMARKET. 

^gj^FTER a march of some hours, our 
Prift regiment had arrived in the vicinity 
1^^^ of Newmarket, Va. ; not, however, 
without an occasional shot being 
exchanged between the Hght artillery, which 
preceded us, and that of the enemy. As we 
were marched to a position somewhat shel- 
tered by a low ridge, this firing was kept up 
with vigor. The peculiar tone and expres- 
sion assumed by our commander, colonel 
Wells, as he directed our movements, will 
be remembered by many. " Don't you see 



30 REMINISCENCES. 

how they are firing at me ? " was his demand, 
evidently more for its effect on his men than 
from any special concern as to his own 
safety. 

So passed the afternoon of Saturday, May 
14, 1864, and the night, a rainy and uncom- 
fortable one, settled down upon us ; but war 
is no respecter of the stillness of night, and 
the fact of a foe being close at hand is a 
great promoter of uneasiness. Suddenly a 
shot is heard, then a volley, and we are 
roused up without ceremony ; but the alarm 
proves nothing serious, being caused by a 
small reconnoitering party from the enemy. 
We lie down again, all save the watchful 
sentinels, and sheltering ourselves from the 
rain so far as possible, get what sleep may be 
had under the circumstances. A part of the 
morning is occupied in putting our arms and 
ourselves in good fighting condition, though 
this is a difficult matter in some cases ; the 
rain having reached our muskets to some 
extent, in spite of the utmost vigilance. 



REMINISCENCES. 3 1 

The quiet is broken by an order to a 
different position, which order is repeated 
occasionally during the forenoon, keeping us 
in motion almost constantly from one point 
to another. At last, a satisfactory position 
having been reached, we lie down on our 
arms for a short time, but soon are ordered 
to rise and then to load and fire as rapidly as 
possible. In the meantime, a battery has 
been stationed on our right, and its guns 
begin to play on the enemy. After firing 
several volleys, a charge is ordered, and as we 
advance, the opposing force comes plainly 
into view. The yells and cheers accompany- 
ing this movement make it almost impossible 
to hear any order from our superior officers, 
but we finally comprehend that a " right- 
about " is ordered. This is executed and we 
retrace our steps for a short distance, still 
keeping on a line with the colors, while the 
continuous cheering of the enemy shows that 
they fully appreciate their advantage. We 
now begin to feel seriously the effect of the 



32 REMINISCENCES. 

heavy fire, both musketry and artillery, which 
fills the air with deadly missiles. A promi- 
nent field officer is disabled by a severe 
wound, and as the enemy press close upon 
us, necessarily falls into their hands ; while 
others, who are less injured, are supported 
from the field to receive surgical aid. 

The regiment, having reached a good 
position, is halted, faced about, and aids in 
checking the enemy's advance, much to the 
satisfaction of the wounded, who are making 
their way to Mt. Jackson, some four miles 
distant. Night falls, and the sounds of battle 
are hushed; but this Sabbath day, so dis- 
turbed by mortal strife, has proved the last 
for many who had cherished hopes of " bright 
days yet to be." 

" And Ardennes waves above them her green leaves, 
Dewy with Nature's tear drops, as they pass ; 

Grieving, if aught inanimate e'er grieves, 
Over the unreturning brave : alas ! 
Ere evening to be trodden like the grass ; 

Which now beneath them, but above shall grow 



REMINISCENCES. 33 

In its next verdure, when this fiery mass 
Of living valor, rolling on the foe, 

And burning with high hope, shall moulder cold and. 
low." 

Byron. 



» 2* 



34 REMINISCENCES. 



CHAPTER VI. 



INCIDENTS. 




IT will be remembered by some, that at 
Mill an early period of our regimental his- 
i^ tory, a fever for enlistment into the 
regular army prevailed to a certain 
extent. The causes which produced this 
state of things are unknown to the writer, 
but it seems probable that highly colored 
statements, made by interested parties, as to 
the relative advantages of one branch of the 
service over another had been employed. 

Col. Wells, as the event proved, felt no 
sympathy with this movement, and had no 



REMINISCENCES. 35 

idea of quietly looking on while his regiment 
was depleted in numbers to fill the voracious 
maw of Uncle Sam. Accordingly, taking 
his opportunity when the Regiment was out 
with full ranks, he expressed his views on 
" the situation " with his usual force and 
eloquence, and in a manner that held the 
attention of all to the close. That part of 
his argument which covered the points of 
promotion and travel, as nearly as can be 
recalled, was something like this. " You 
have been promised opportunities for promo- 
tion and travel : as for travel, you would 
have plenty of that, and would have to 
travel -pretty close to the line. With regard 
to promotion in the regular army, there is a 
regular system of promotion, in which non- 
commissioned oilficers only stand a chance of 
sharing, and they after years of waiting." 
The address, whether from its sarcasm or 
its sense, was effectual in curing the uneasi- 
ness that had prevailed. 

At one time, the young and popular cap- 



36 REMINISCENCES. 

tain of company E saw fit to celebrate his 
birthday by furnishing his men with an unus- 
ual treat. A liberal supply of " lager " was 
obtained firom a neighboring fort, and placed 
conveniently in one of the company tents, 
with the understanding that all were welcome 
to partake. As the evening advanced, a 
spirit of jollity naturally prevailed, stimulated 
a little, it may be, by the influence of the 
Teutonic beverage, and some unusual and 
unmilitary noises perhaps, were heard; till 
the stentorian voice of orderly sergeant 
(since captain) Belser rang out even more 
loudly than usual, summoning the company 
to fall in for evening roll-call, after which 
quiet was restored, and night settled down 
peacefully as usual over the camp. 

The company, in which occurred the last 
incident, numbered among its original mem- 
bers two who were truly of a kindred spirit 
and alike in name, though of different nation- 
ality — Joseph Smith, whose pranks and 
mimicry so often relieved the tiresomeness 



REMINISCENCES. 37 

of the long march, and Owen Smith, the 
sturdy son of Erin, equally ready for a fight 
or a frolic. Once, for some infraction of 
military discipline in which both were con- 
cerned, they were compelled to wear " the 
wooden shirt," (the name commonly applied 
to a barrel with an opening cut in the end, 
through which the culprit's head was passed, 
the weight of the barrel resting on his 
shoulders.) Thus equipped, they were obliged 
to march back and forth before the captain's 
quarters ; yet they were far from being dis- 
heartened, but with great merriment per- 
formed this unusual sentry duty, assisting 
each other, in case of any accident, with an 
almost brotherly regard. 

The first mentioned of this pair of intimate 
friends is believed to have died at Anderson- 
ville, Ga. With regard to his comrade, 
Owen, many years have passed since the 
writer last beheld his strongly-marked 
features, and whether the bold Irishman is 
still in the land of the living is a matter of 



38 REMINISCENCES. 

uncertainty. So drops the curtain over our 
heroes. 

We will close this somewhat disconnected 
chapter by introducing from the " Atlantic 
Monthly" for July, 1862, an excellent speci- 
men of soldier-poetry, of which little is said, 
except that it was " taken from a student- 
song book, and was probably written in 
1 8 14." Not one of the six verses it contains 
can be spared in reproducing this gem, so 
replete with a loyal and soldierly spirit. It 
is unique and perfect in its peculiar line of 
thought and sentiment : — 

THE CANTEEN. 

"Just help me, Lottie, as I spring; 

My arm is feeble, see, — 
I still must have it in a sling ; 

Be softly now with me ! 
But do not let the canteen slip, — 

Here, take it first, I pray, — 
For when that 's broken from my lip. 

All joys will flow away. 



REMINISCENCES. 39 

' And why for that so anxious ? — pshaw ! 

It is not worth a pin : 
The common glass, the bit of straw, 

And not a drop within ! ' 
No matter, Lottie, take it out, — 

'T is past your reckoning : 
Yes, look it round and round about, — 

There drank from it — my King ! 

• By Leipsic near, if you must know, — 

'T was just no children's play, — 
A ball hit me a grievous blow. 

And in the crowd I lay; 
Nigh death, they bore me from the scene, 

My garments off they fling. 
Yet held I fast by my canteen, — 

There drank from it — my King! 

For once our ranks in passing through 

He paused, — we saw his face ; 
Around us keen the volleys flew, 

He calmly kept his place. 
He thirsted, — I could see.it plain, 

And courage took to bring 
My old canteen for him to drain, — 

He drank from it — my King ! 



4P ^ REMINISCENCES. 

He touched me on the shoulder here. 

And said, ' I thank thee, friend, — 
Thy liquor gives me timely cheer, — 

Thou didst right well intend.' 
O'erjoyed at this, I cried aloud, 

'O comrades, who can bring 
Canteen like this to make him proud ? — 

There drank from it — my King ! ' 

That old canteen shall no one have. 

The best of treasures mine ; 
Put it at last upon my grave. 

And under it this line : 
' He fought at Leipsic, whom this green 

Is softly covering; 
Best household good was his canteen, — 

There drank from it — his King ! ' " 



REMINISCENCES. 4I 



CHAPTER VII. 



IN MEMORIAM. 




FEW closing words as a tribute to 
the honored dead. While referring 
^^^ especially to a few names in this con- 
nection, no peculiar honor is claimed 
for them above the large number of their 
comrades in other companies whose record 
is equally honorable ; but of those we know 
best we can, doubtless, best speak. 

Brave Christopher Pennell — with a noble 
ambition leaving his many friends to serve 
in another field, and falling at last before 
Petersburg. 



42 REMINISCENCES. 

Captain William B. Bacon — an able and 
intrepid soldier, than whom few had brighter 
prospects of advancement and honor, stricken 
down at Newmarket, while inspiring his men 
with his own fearlessness of spirit. 

Sergeant Henry B. King — of a gentle 
and obliging spirit, and beloved by all his 
comrades ; dying on the field of battle, and 
leaving only the knowledge of his devotion to 
duty to cheer his youthful and bereaved com- 
panion. 

The brothers, Dwight and Henry Chick- 
ering — noble and promising youths, making 
the woods ring with the sound of their axes, 
and their whole-souled laughter, as we pre- 
pared to encamp after the day's weary march. 

But one more will be particularly men- 
tioned here,"^ in reference to whom brigade 
surgeon Clarke used this language, in a 
letter informing his friends of his death: 
" he was a brave, conscientious and faithful 
soldier." And what shall I say of thee, my 

* Newton H. Clark, of company E, 



REMINISCENCES. 43 

brother, my faithful friend? Whether in 
the ordinary duties of the camp, in hours of 
recreation and of loving communion with 
friends in the far-distant home, through the 
medium of the pen, or amid the more fatigu- 
ing and exacting experiences of the march, 
none ever found a truer or more constant 
companion. Though the snows of many 
winters have, in their season, robed thy grave 
with a stainless winding-sheet, yet is thy 
memory cherished fondly as at first: still 
shall the flowers of each succeeding summer 
strew that grave, and the lofty pines of our 
native state shall furnish thy requiem. 

" How sleep the brave, who sink to rest 
By all their country's wishes blest ? 
When Spring, with dewy fingers cold, 
Returns to deck their hallowed mould, 
She there shall dress a sweeter sod 
Than Fancy's feet have ever trod. 

By fairy hands their knell is rung ; 
By forms unseen their dirge is sung ; 



44 REMINISCENCES. 

Here Honor comes, a pilgrim gray 
To bless the turf that wraps their clay ; 
And Freedom shall awhile repair 
To dwell, a weeping hermit, there." 



Collins. 



I'AKT il. 



ORIGINAL I'OHMS 



CONTENTS 



Memorial Ode, 


51 


At Sunrise, . . . 


54 


The "German," 


• 56 


Ye Spellyr, 


. 58 


Metrical Letter, 


59 


To Henrietta, on her birthday. 


6t 


The Thing of Even-toes, 


. 63 



MEMORIAL ODE' 



Their's was no common lot, 

Whom we to-day revere ; 
No sordid life, no useless work. 

Do we remember here. 

Their glorious fame we keep, — 
What precious trust is ours ! 

" They softly lie and sweetly sleep," 
Their graves we deck with flowers. 



* As originally written. The first five stanzas being the Ode recited during 
the exercises at Town Hall, Holliston, on Decoration Day, May 29th, 1875. 



52 



I'OKMS. 

In bailie's sharpcsl strife, 

In heavy, weariiij^ loil, 
'Mid l)iirstin^ sliell and wiiislling l)all, 

Or dclviii*; ill liie soil 

Of fair Virginia's hills, — 
Whelher the trench or field ; 

No thoui^lit but duty nerved their arm, 
Weaj)on or s|)a(le to wield. 

Their narrow, silent beds. 

Where, sunk in ])eacerul sleep, 

These martyred heroes rest from toil. 
As sacred charge we keep. 



The sunny clime of T'rance 
Has witnessed oft a scene 

Which honors much a valiant name ; 
Nor less licrsiif^ I ween. 

When, as the day returns, 
And, mustered at ]:)arade, 

A noble corps in silence stands, 
By practised eyes surveyed. 



POEMS. 53 



The name is reverent called, 
Of one who nobly died ; 

And, falling on the attentive ear, 
'J'hese words are still replied, — 

"Died on the honored field ;"* 
Fit meed to him who bled, — 

And thus would we, in humble lay, 
Immortalize our dead. 



* The last four stanzas refer to a custom, long sustained, in honor of a young 
French soldier, who had rendered distiiiRuishcd service, and lost his life in so 
doing. It is said that whenever tlie re.^iiiiental roll was called, tlie name of this 
deceased soldier would also he called, and one of his comrades designated for the 
purpose would respond, ^^ Died on the yield of honor ." 



54 POEMS. 



AT SUNRISl!, JUNI' 17, .875. 



Ye joyous bells, in merry strain, 
Your music yield, again, again, 

Our patriot thoughts to fire ; 
That, raised from l^usy life's routine, 
Some higher aims may enter in, — 

Our sluggish souls inspire. 

A century has passed, — and now 

The change is wondrous — from the brow 

Of yon historic hill, 
Whence burst the murderous battle flames, 
Where glory rested on the names 

That live in history still, 



POEMS. 55 

Shines forth in words of living light 
The glories of old Bunker's fight ; 

The memories of that day 
When PRKSCorr led the deadly strife, 
When Warren's gift, a noble life, 

On Freedom's altar lay. 

Ye joyous bells, with loudest peal 
Our glorious heritage reveal. 

Its cost, its priceless worth ; 
Lead us to praise, with loud acclaim, 
Our country's God, whose reverend name 

Transcends the names of earth. 



56 POEMS. 



THE "GERMAN." 



Hans Spiegler was a Teuton bold, 

Of Faderland extraction ; 
Phlegmatic, steady, calm and cold — 

An iceberg, he, in action. 

His livelihood he fairly earned 
By humble, constant labors ; 

To know the truth, if you're concerned, 
He sawed wood for his neighbors. 

'Twas seldom that he ventured in 
The dusk of night to go forth, — 

None said he sought the haunts of sin, 
With fast young men, &c. 



POEMS. 57 

But late one eve, he chanced to pass 
Where music, dancing, drinking, — 

Where graceful forms in mirrored glass, 
Set sober Hans to thinking. 

His thoughts soon found a vent in speech : 
'•'■ Podshauseiid ! Was ist das? so — " 

His voice the nether regions reached. 
Like notes of deepest basso. 

A servant from the basement cried, 

" The Germaji, go to thunder," — 
But '■^ Nix fur stay'' he still replied, 

With face of puzzled wonder. * 

And, if you will believe the tale. 

To-day Hans Spiegler gazes, 
Unable still to break the spell 

Cast by the " German's " mazes. 



$8 POKMS. 



Yl< SPI'LLYR. 



Full ofte yc spellyr takes hys scate, 

Wythe confidence elate; 
Not dreameing to incurre defeate, 

And readye for hys fate : — 

But whenne hee takes a lower playse, 
And eates ye humble pye ; 

A "proper studie " is hys fayse, 
For "mankinde," youe and f. 



POEMS. 59 



Mi'TRicAL iv:nm. 



Dear Sister : 
Though the earth should cease its motion, 

Hornby secede^ and Union lose its power, 
Think not to see a wane in my devotion, 

Or be forgotten for a single hour. 

The threat, half-uttered, sent in my direction. 
Of causing me to fill a sheet by force — 

Made conscience bring to view my late defection, 
And urge my writing as the safest course. 

I'm pleased to know that such a patriot fire 
Should be enkindled in our brother's heart ; 

But while these thoughts do all his soul inspire, 
Let him remember. Nature yields to Art. 



6o POEMS. 

I don't pretend to call this a quotation, 
For in a printed page 'twas never seen ; 

But for the time I'll take the prompter's station, 
And bring to view some stubborn facts, I ween. 

The drill, the double-quick, the tedious marches. 
The cold, wet earth his bed, the sky his roof, 

Would spoil the beauty of triumphal arches ; 
He'd wish from battle he had kept aloof. 

But, lest you tire of this, my simple measure, 

r haste, and quickly draw it to a close ; 
Wishing our friends much comfort, health and pleasure, 

And to you, sister, a sweet night's repose. 



POEMS. 6 1 



TO HENRIETTA. 



ON HER BIRTHDAY. 



'Tis said the poor few presents make, 
The rich, of course, do better ; — 

Suppose I neither station take. 
What say you, Henrietta ? 

If I this Httle token give, 
■ I still am much your debtor ; 
But if we both some years should live. 
We'll settle, Henrietta. 



62 POEMS. 

My heartiest wishes for your good 
Accept, with this short letter, 

And may no sorrow ever cloud 
The path of Henrietta. 

And when some youth your heart shall hold 

In matrimonial fetter, 
I trust you ne'er will say — I'm sold — 

So be it, Henrietta. 



POEMS. 63 



THE THING OF EVEN-TOES.^ 



There was a thing of Even-toes ; 
His name was Reynard — sharp his nose — 
His eyes were keen — his hunger fierce — 
His teeth the toughest fowl could pierce : 
And for this cause, 
By Nature's laws, 
The entire feathered race in his immediate vicinity took 
special pains to avoid his paws. 

The custom was, with Even-toes, 

By craft to conquer — not by blows — 

* Title suggested by Beranger's " King of Yvetot." 



64 POEMS. 

A sly old fox was our hero red ; 
On the choicest fowls he lived, 'twas said : 
And the rascal laughed, 
As their blood he quaffed, — 
While all the old chanticleers and dame partlets, 
whether shanghais or bantams, were nearly or quite 
driven "daft." 



This fellow's laugh — 'twas a thing to see — 
For a fox caii laugh, you will all agree — 
He would first put on a sardonic grin, 
Like an evil sprite, as he mocks at sin ; 
Then he wagged his jaw. 
And the watchers saw 
A volley of vulpine cachinnation thence escaping — He ! 
He ! He ! Ha / Ha I Ha I Haw ! Haw ! Haw ! 



"I've a handsome brush," said Even-toes; 
" On my ruby fur the sunlight glows. 
When I venture out in the daylight fair — 
But at night-time boldly I quit my lair, 
For the silver moon. 
And the night-hawk's croon. 
Just stir my blood ; and entirely regardless of the price 
of poultry, I walk out with my cousin raccoon." 



POEMS. 65 

But the robber's career oft ends in grief ; 

And one autumn day, to the great relief 

Of the feathered and fatted family fowls ; 

And the vengeful joy of his neighbor owls, 
Whom he oft had robbed. 
As they nightly sobbed ; 
(At least, Gray implies that they did,* though it's of no 
particular consequence in this connection anyway), but 
as we were about to say, old Reyiiard by hunters was 
mobbed. 



* The moping owl doth to the moon complain. — [Gray's " Elegy." 



PART 



PENCILLINGS. 



A HALF-HOUR WITH TAYLOR. 



^.^HOSE whose tastes and preferences 
IJ^ in reading agree with those of the 
! writer of this little tribute, will have 
found a peculiar fascination in the 
repeated perusal of a poem by Benjamin F. 
Taylor, one of those names, evidently, which 
the human heart and mind, appreciating the 
pure gold of song, will not "willingly let 
die." It was given in a late number of 
the " Watchman and Reflector," accredited 
to " Scribner's Magazine " for April. Its 
title, "The Psalm Book in the Garret," is 



yO PENCILLINGS. 

suggestive of the general drift of the poem. 
Where all is excellent, there may be diffi- 
culty in pointing out special beauties. How 
rich in poetic fancy is this stanza : — 

" Ah, richer far than noontide blaze 

The soft gray silence of the air, 
As if long years of ended days 

Had garnered all their twilights there." 

After the above, which seems to convey 
the impression made upon the poet's mind 
by the twilight dimness of the secluded 
room, and other lines in a similar vein, 
comes the discovery of a venerable volume ; 
which proves to be the talisman to unlock 
rich treasures indeed : 

" Where rafters set their cobwebb'd feet 

Upon the rugged oaken ledge, 
I found a flock of singers sweet, 

Like snow-bound sparrows in a hedge. 

In silk of spider's spinning hid, 

A long and narrow psalm-book lay " — 



PENCILLINGS. 7 1 

And how vividly does the following bring 
to view a page of the old psalm-book : — 

" Ah, dotted tribe with ebon heads 
That climb the slender fence along ! 

As black as ink, as thick as weeds, 
Ye little Africans of song ! " 

Here is a touch of tender sentiment : 

"Who wrote upon this page, ' Forget 
Me Not ? ' These cruel leaves of old 

Have crushed to death a violet — 
See here its spectre's pallid gold. 

A pencilled whisper during prayer 

Is that poor dim and girlish word : " — 

As the poet pursues his examination of 
its pages, the old garret seems to be trans- 
formed, to his imagination, as by a magician's 
wand, into the " old village church," and the 
dim twilight of the cramped and darkened 
apartment is changed to the daylight glow 
of an " olden tyme " sabbath. 

" The village church is builded here ; 
The twilight turns to afternoon." 



72 PENCILLINGS. 

Well might the worthies of old afford to 
worship on uncarpeted floors, so that the 
reader of the present time may enjoy dwell- 
ing once and again upon the beautiful 
imagery contained in this other couplet : as 
if the mechanical operation of the carpet- 
loom were but a transcript or photograph 
of nature's wondrous working, by which the 
fairest flowers are produced. 

" Thy naked aisle no roses grace 
That blossomed at the shuttle's play ;" — 

The following lines, descriptive of the 
old-fashioned fugue are especially sweet and 
graceful, and the quaint imagery introduced 
in the last four almost unsurpassed : 

" The parts strike in with measured grace, 
And some thing sweet is everywhere ! 

As if some warbling brood should build 

Of bits of tunes a singing nest. 
Each bringing that with which it thrilled 

And weaving it with all the rest ! " 



PENCILLINGS. 73 

Desiring to close fittingly, this partial and 
imperfect view of some of the beauties exist- 
ing in the poem under consideration, we 
present one more extract ; by no means 
exhausting the catalogue of gems contained 
therein. 

" The congregation rise and stand ; 

' Old Hundred's ' rolling thunder comes 
In heavy surges, slow and grand, 

As beats the surf its solemn drums." 



74 PENCILLINGS. 



THE VIRGINIA PREACHER. 



^HE following brief sketch is an attempt 
(Ug to reproduce from memory, as far as 



an account given by a distinguished 
American, many years since, concerning a 
discourse heard by him in the backwoods 
of Virginia. 

The narrator of the anecdote referred to, 
was travelling through a thinly settled portion 
of the state, and came upon a group engaged 
in listening to one, apparently a minister of 



PENCILLINGS. 75 

the gospel, who was addressing them on 
what was evidently a weighty and solemn 
theme. The subject, powerfully handled by 
the preacher, proved to be the passion, or 
suffering and death of our Saviour. 

As the discourse drew near its close, the 
preacher entered thoroughly into the spirit 
of his theme, having the entire congregation 
completely in sympathy with himself and 
his subject — the tears flowed freely from 
many eyes, and sobs burst forth from many 
hearts, as he portrayed that most deeply 
affecting scene ; one which angels bent down 
to view with immortal interest, and which 
concerns so closely every member of our 
race — the agony and death, upon the cross, 
of our Lord. 

At this point, the narrator, who evidently 
understood human nature and the art of 
sacred oratory, seems to have been appre- 
hensive that the preacher would be unable, 
safely and without shock, to descend from 
his lofty height, and relieve the deeply 



76 PENCIIXINGS. 

wrought feelings of his hearers. But not 
so — for the almost painful silence which 
for a few moments succeeded his thrilling 
description and appeal, was followed by the 
sublime sentence of Rosseau: ''Socrates 
died like a philosopher, but yesus Christ 
like a Godr 



